Bede : But the station of the Philistine went out to pass over into Michmash. Indeed, by not having arms, Israel betrayed the country to the enemies; and through our neglect of reading or of inquiring from spiritual teachers, like the negligence of forging arms or of seeking out Israelite blacksmiths, we give the enemies the opportunity, after overcoming the humility which the besieged Michmash signifies, to also bring weapons of impiety to the rest of the virtues, as to the boundaries of the holy land. But to repel these most terrible weapons of the enemy, not the skill of human art, but aided by the grace of the Holy Spirit, the exhortation of heavenly teachers must be sought. Hence it follows: — Commentary on Samuel